John B. Gore Park Fishing

John B. Gore Park gives Callaway a quiet bayou fishing dock close to East Bay, inside a busy community park.

• A floating dock set aside for fishing, separate from the boat ramp docks
• Speckled trout, redfish, flounder, black drum and sheepshead
• Open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk
• Restrooms, sports fields, a museum and a historic one-room schoolhouse

The park is on Beulah Avenue in Callaway, on Callaway Bayou just off East Bay.

• Getting there: follow Beulah Avenue in Callaway to the park and the boat ramp
• Hours: 7 a.m. to dusk, every day
• Entry: a city park; no fee is listed for walk-on anglers
• The fishing dock is a floating dock separate from the two-slip boat ramp and its docks
• Parking is at the park, shared with the sports fields and community center

Callaway Bayou is a sheltered arm of East Bay, part of the St. Andrew Bay system, with water that freshens after heavy rain.

• Spring (Mar-May): sheepshead around the docks, trout and redfish moving up the bayou as it warms
• Summer (Jun-Aug): trout early and late, redfish, flounder on the bottom, ladyfish chasing bait
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the best season for trout, redfish and flounder
• Winter (Dec-Feb): black drum and sheepshead near structure, croaker and white trout on the bottom, trout in the deeper water

A 7 foot light to medium spinning rod with 10 to 15 lb braid and a 20 lb fluorocarbon leader suits the bayou.

• Trout and redfish: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a soft plastic on a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head
• Flounder: mud minnows or finger mullet on a Carolina rig, dragged slowly
• Sheepshead and black drum: fiddler crabs or shrimp on a short leader beside the dock floats and pilings
• Croaker and white trout: small hooks and cut shrimp on the bottom in winter
• Bring your own bait; none is listed for sale at the park

Tides in East Bay are small and usually come once a day, so moving water and wind count more than the tide height.

• Fish when the water is moving, rising or falling
• A strong, steady wind can raise or drop the water in the bayou by more than the tide does
• After heavy rain the bayou freshens and colors; the bite often slows for a day or two
• Early morning and the last light before dusk are best in summer
• Cooler, clearer water in fall is prime for trout and flounder

The fishing dock is a calm, low platform on sheltered water.

• A floating dock moves underfoot, so take care getting on and off
• Boats launch from the ramp nearby: keep lines clear of the ramp and the boat docks
• Leave the dock at the first thunder
• Bring shade, water and insect repellent
• As in any Florida bayou, watch for alligators and never feed wildlife

The park is Callaway's community hub.

• A modern concession and restroom building
• A two-slip boat ramp with floating docks, and the separate fishing dock
• Basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, football and youth baseball fields
• The Callaway Community Center, the Ellie Fox Memorial Museum and a one-room schoolhouse run by the Callaway Historical Society
• No bait shop is listed, so bring bait, ice and drinks

• Fish the dock early, before the park gets busy
• Fall mornings are the best time for trout and redfish in the bayou
• Drop a fiddler crab beside the dock floats for sheepshead in late winter and spring
• Launch a kayak from the ramp to reach the mouth of the bayou and East Bay
• The one-room schoolhouse and museum make a good stop for families

John B. Gore Park is run by the City of Callaway, and posted park rules apply.

• Open daily from 7 a.m. to dusk
• Fish from the fishing dock, and keep the boat ramp docks clear for boaters
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless an exemption applies
• Take all line, hooks and trash with you
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything